
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 16
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Sarai, Avram's wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.
v'-sa-RAI e-SHET av-RAHM lo ya-l'-DAH LO, v'-LAH shif-KHA mitz-REET u-sh'-MAH ha-GAR
אוְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃
2And Sarai said to Avram, “Look, Hashem has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a son through her.” And Avram heeded Sarai's request.
va-TOMER sa-RAI el a-v'RAM, hi-NEH-NA a-tza-RA-ni a-do-NAI mi-LE-det, bo-NA el shif-kha-TEE, u-LAI i-BA-neh mi-ME-nah, va-YISH-ma a-v'RAM l'-KOL sa-RAI.
בוַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהֹוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי׃
3So Sarai, Avram's wife, took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian—after Avram had dwelt in the land of Canaan ten years—and gave her to her husband Avram as concubine.
va-ti-KAKH sa-RAI e-SHET a-v'RAM et ha-GAR ha-mitz-REE-t shif-kha-TAH mi-KETZ e-SEER sha-NEEM l'-she-VET a-v'RAM b'-E-rets k'-NA-an va-ti-TEYN o-TAH l'-a-v'RAM ee-SHAH lo l'-i-SHAH
גוַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
4He cohabited with Hagar and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lowered in her esteem.
vai-YA-vo el ha-GAR va-ta-HAR va-TE-re ki ha-RA-ta, va-TE-kal g'-vir-TAH b'-ay-NE-ha
דוַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃
5And Sarai said to Avram, “The wrong done me is your fault! I myself put my maid in your bosom; now that she sees that she is pregnant, I am lowered in her esteem. Hashem decide between you and me!”
va-TOMER sa-RAI el a-v'RAM, kha-MA-see a-LE-kha, a-NO-khee na-TA-tee shif-kha-TEE b'-khey-KE-kha, va-TE-ra ki ha-RA-ta, va-E-kal b'-e-NE-ha, yi-SHOT a-do-NAI b'-EY-nee u-VEY-ne-KHA.
הוַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֮ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶ֒יךָ֒ אָנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יְהֹוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיׄךָ׃
6Avram said to Sarai, “Your maid is in your hands. Deal with her as you think right.” Then Sarai treated her harshly, and she ran away from her.
vai-YO-mer av-RAM el sa-RAI, hi-NEH shif-kha-TEKH b'-ya-DEKH, a-SEE-laH ha-TOV b'-ay-NA-yikh, va-t'-a-NE-ha sa-RAI, va-tiv-RAKH mi-pa-NE-ha
ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ שָׂרַ֔י וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃
7An angel of Hashem found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur,
vai-YIM-tza-AH mal-akh a-do-NAI al-EIN ha-MA-yim ba-mid-BAR al ha-A-yin b'-DE-rekh SHUR
זוַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה עַל־עֵ֥ין הַמַּ֖יִם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַל־הָעַ֖יִן בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ שֽׁוּר׃
8and said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.”
vai-YO-mer ha-GAR shif-KHAT sa-RAI, ay mi-ZEH ba-AT v'-a-NAH te-LE-khi, va-TO-mer mi-p'-NEI sa-RAI, g'-vir-TEE a-NO-khi bo-RA-khat
חוַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת׃
9And the angel of Hashem said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit to her harsh treatment.”
vai-YO-mer LAH mal-ACH a-do-NAI shu-VEE el g'-vir-TEKH v'-hit-a-NEE TA-khat ya-de-HA
טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה שׁ֖וּבִי אֶל־גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י תַּ֥חַת יָדֶֽיהָ׃
10And the angel of Hashem said to her, “I will greatly increase your offspring, And they shall be too many to count.”
vai-YO-mer LAH mal-ACH a-do-NAI har-BAH ar-BEH et zar-EKH v'-LO yi-SA-fayr may-ROV
יוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה הַרְבָּ֥ה אַרְבֶּ֖ה אֶת־זַרְעֵ֑ךְ וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃
11The angel of Hashem said to her further, “Behold, you are with child And shall bear a son; You shall call him Ishmael, For Hashem has paid heed to your suffering.
vai-YO-mer LAH mal-ACH a-do-NAI, hi-NAKH ha-RAH v'-yo-LAD-t' BEN, v'-ka-RA-at SHE-mo yish-ma-AYL, kee-SHA-ma a-do-NAI el o-n'-YEKH
יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־עׇנְיֵֽךְ׃
12He shall be a wild ass of a man; His hand against everyone, And everyone's hand against him; He shall dwell alongside of all his kinsmen.”
v'-HU yih-YEH pe-REH a-DAM ya-DO va-KOL v'-YAD KOL BO v'-al p'-NAY kol-e-KHAV yish-KON
יבוְה֤וּא יִהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃
13And she called Hashem who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!”
va-tik-RAH shem a-do-NAI ha-do-VAYR e-LE-ha a-TAH el ro-EE kee a-M'-RA ha-GAM ha-LOM ra-EE-TEE a-cha-RAY ro-EE
יגוַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי׃
14Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it is between Kadesh and Bered.
al KAYN ka-RA la-b'-AYR b'-AYR la-KHAI ro-EE hi-NAY vayn ka-DAYSH u-VAYN BA-red
ידעַל־כֵּן֙ קָרָ֣א לַבְּאֵ֔ר בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י הִנֵּ֥ה בֵין־קָדֵ֖שׁ וּבֵ֥ין בָּֽרֶד׃
16:14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai–roi

Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch (1808-1888)
No longer able to bear her suffering in the home of her mistress Sara, Hagar runs to the desert in search of relief and solitude. According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, when Hagar subsequently encounters the angel she realizes that one is never alone or out of God’s sight. The well where this encounter takes place is therefore named be’er lachai ro-ee (באר לחי ראי), the ‘well of the Living One who sees me.’ Specifically in Eretz Yisrael, God’s presence and watchful eye is felt strongly, as it says in Devarim (11:12) “on which Hashem your God always keeps His eye.”
15Hagar bore a son to Avram, and Avram gave the son that Hagar bore him the name Ishmael.
va-TEL-ed ha-GAR l'-av-RAM ben, va-yik-RA av-RAM shem b'-NO a-SHER ya-l'-DAH ha-GAR yish-ma-AYL
טווַתֵּ֧לֶד הָגָ֛ר לְאַבְרָ֖ם בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָ֧ם שֶׁם־בְּנ֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה הָגָ֖ר יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃
16Avram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Avram.
v'-a-v'-RAM ben-SHE-mo-NEEM sha-NAH v'-SHE-sha sha-NEEM b'-le-DET ha-GAR et yish-ma-AYL l'-a-v'-RAM. (s)
טזוְאַבְרָ֕ם בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים בְּלֶֽדֶת־הָגָ֥ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל לְאַבְרָֽם׃